Page 226 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

249.

MOUNT WILLS SCHOOL
STATE ARCHIVES FILE NO. - 5/16975-2

In the Department of Public Instruction 1868 Annual Report, under
Appendix "B", Listing 'Applications for the Establishment of a Provisional
School', one finds the following details:-

MOUNT WILLS Five (5) miles from the nearest school

Twenty eight (28) possible pupils

Fourteen (14) boys and fourteen (14) girls.

These prospective pupils were of the following denominations:-

22 Church of England

2 Roman Catholic

2 Presbyterian

2 Methodist.

Later in the same 1868 Annual Report, in the sec:ion recording 'Inspector
T. Dwyer's summary of his activities within his district' it registers that
the Inspector had given assistance to the establishment of a 'Provisional'
School at Mount Wills.

Local information from relatives and descendants of the McDonald
family of the old "Glenmore" prope!"ty was that the McDonald family had assisted
by the donation of land and materials in the construction of a schoolhouse.
The informants thought that the building had been on the 'Rothbury Estate'
vineyard property, close to the present Cessnock-Branxton Road and adjacent
to the location where Wills Road joins the Branxton Road, near the Glenmore
Cemetery.

The Department of Education Historical Section, situated at Barclay
House, Castlereagh Street, Sydney, show in their 'Early Teacher Records' that
the first teacher at the Mount Wills School was Lawrence Kenny, at a salary
of £3.0.0. ($6.00) per month, but the date of his appointment to the school
is not shown. Also, early Council or Education Records show that one (1)
case and one (1) parcel of books and school materials for Mount Wills School
were despatched from Sydney on 21st August 1868, per Australian Stearn
Navigaticin Company Steamer, to be forwarded on by rail to Branxton Station,